Back Where It Began: Dr. Walsh’s Full Circle Journey

When Dr. Edward Walsh learned that his patient, Mary Marois, was at Grand Traverse Pavilions for rehabilitation, he had a story for her. 

His first paying job in health care was here more than 20 years ago. 

Walsh was fresh out of high school and already knew he wanted to become an emergency room physician. He had volunteered in an ER and was looking for a job that would give him more experience in health care. 

Manpower placed him at the Pavilions front desk and switchboard. He answered phones, helped with the weekly newsletter and scheduled activities. 

His supervisor, Melissa, encouraged him to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. Walsh took the classes, became certified through the Pavilions and began working midnights on Elm, caring for residents living with dementia. 

His career ultimately took him into interventional radiology, but what he learned as a CNA has stayed with him. 

Walsh talks about the importance of preserving a person's humanity. As a CNA, he learned to see residents as whole people, not simply as someone who needed care. They had histories, relationships, personalities and a need to be seen and understood. 

That perspective has helped keep him grounded throughout his career in medicine. 

He sees some of that same connection in something that still exists at the Pavilions today: children and older adults sharing the same space. 

Grand Traverse Pavilions continues to offer onsite childcare for employees, giving children opportunities to interact with residents throughout the day. Walsh sees a natural relationship between people at opposite ends of life. Children bring energy and curiosity, while older adults have time, stories and attention to give. 

For Walsh, that relationship is more than a nice addition. It is one of the things that sets the Pavilions apart. 

When he recently returned to the Pavilions, much had changed. Offices had moved and most of the people he worked with were gone. Only one staff member still working here remembered him from those days. 

But the building was still here. So was the work of caring for people. 

And the memories were still here, too. As Walsh shared names and stories from his time as a CNA, longtime staff recognized people and places he remembered. More than two decades later, those connections had not completely disappeared. 

Today, Walsh's role in health care looks very different. As a physician working in interventional radiology with Grand Traverse Radiologists, he now cares for patients with vascular emergencies. 

Mary was one of those patients. 

When Walsh learned she was receiving rehabilitation at the Pavilions, the two discovered a connection neither expected: the place helping Mary recover was also the place where his health care career began. 

“When Dr. Walsh told me he had worked here years ago, we had a great time sharing stories about the Pavilions then and now,” Mary said. 

More than 20 years after Walsh got his start here, his patients are still coming through our doors. 

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